Written Answers

Wednesday 7 June 2000

Scottish Executive

Benefit Fraud

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will survey local authorities’ views on the handling of housing benefit fraud by the police, Procurators Fiscal and the courts.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Scottish local authorities administer housing benefit in Scotland on behalf of the Department of Social Security which has responsibility for policy on housing benefit including the prevention of fraud. The issues raised are therefore reserved to the UK Parliament.

Children

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4447 by Mr Jack McConnell on 6 March 2000, whether it is taking any steps to secure reliable information, by local authority area, about (i) the average number of child dependants of households dependent on income support and (ii) the average number of children per lone parent household.

Mr Jack McConnell: Discussions are underway with the Department of Social Security and the Office for National Statistics to investigate the use of nationwide surveys (such as the Family Expenditure Survey, the Family Resources Survey and the General Household Survey) to provide information which will allow us to produce analysis of income, benefits claimed and household types (e.g. single parents, number of children etc.) at unitary authority level for Scotland. Discussions with the Department of Social Security about the availability of statistical information from their systems for the administration of benefits (which is a reserved matter) are also continuing.

  The Scottish Household Survey will provide the average number of children per lone parent household in each local authority after the first full sweep of the survey (i.e. after two years). These results should be available by summer 2001. For the larger local authorities only, results will be available this summer.

Community Care

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to increase the level of the Mental Illness Specific Grant.

Iain Gray: There are no current plans to increase provision for Mental Illness Specific Grant.

Community Care

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to link the amount of Resource Transfer Funds for patients resettled from psychiatric hospitals to the community to other increases in funding in the NHSiS.

Iain Gray: The levels of resource transfer negotiated between the care agencies will continue, as now, to reflect local needs, changes to the local pattern of care and all available resources.

Dental Care

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current national waiting time target is for first appointments with specialists in child dental health and whether it will list any health authorities which are not meeting this target, specifying in each case the actual waiting time for such appointments.

Susan Deacon: The current national target for a first outpatient appointment following a General Medical Practitioner/General Dental Practitioner referral in all specialties is nine weeks.

  The percentage of patients whose first outpatient appointment was within nine weeks following referral to a consultant in paediatric dentistry, together with the median waiting time, by health board of residence, for the year ending 31 December 1999, is provided in the table.

  NHS in Scotland: Percentage of Patients1 Who Received Their First Outpatient Appointment Within Nine Weeks Following A General Medical Practitioner/ General Dental Practitioner Referral To A Consultant In Paediatric Dentistry And Median Waiting Times: By Health Board Of Residence: Year Ending 31 December 1999p

  


Health Board2


Percentage


Median Waiting 
Time (Days)




Argyll and Clyde


61


52




Ayrshire and Arran


64


49




Fife


96


22




Forth Valley


52


62




Greater Glasgow


66


52




Lanarkshire


67


51




Lothian


96


18




Tayside


93


2




Scotland


81


26




  Notes:

  1. Information based on referrals by GDP/GMP only (excludes patients with a Patient’s Charter guarantee exception code).

  2. Health board areas where there are fewer than 10 outpatient appointments are not shown.

Domestic Abuse

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Women’s Aid refuge spaces there are in Scotland and what steps it is taking to increase this provision.

Jackie Baillie: Groups affiliated to Scottish Women’s Aid have a total of 325 refuge spaces. Information is not held centrally on spaces provided by non-affiliated groups.

  Funding from the Scottish Homes element of the Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund will provide a further 123 bed spaces over the next two years.

Education

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each local authority are providing, or planning to provide, holiday or after-school computer activities for pupils.

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many places are available in alternatives to exclusion from school schemes in each local authority area.

Peter Peacock: This information is not held centrally.

Education

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have begun to use externally marked, standardised testing procedures as an adjunct or alternative to national tests at S1 and S2 level and what evidence there is of any positive or negative effect this has on performance in national examinations at S4 and S5 level.

Mr Sam Galbraith: This information is not collected centrally.

Education

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve the quality and rigour of feedback to parents of pupils at S1 and S2 level.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The introduction of National Tests has improved the quality of attainment information for parents on pupil performance and information on S2 targets in reading, writing and mathematics, and the progress made against them, is provided to parents each year by education authorities and schools.

  The Review of Assessment in Pre-School and 5-14 has, however, highlighted some weaknesses in the testing and reporting arrangements to parents at S1 and S2 levels. These will be considered together with the implementation of the recommendations in the report Achieving Success in S1 & S2, which will ensure that all secondary teachers have sufficient time to assess individual pupils’ progress.

Elections

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take any action as a result of the Centre for Research and Social Trends’ report, Attitudes to Voting Reform following the 1999 Scottish and Welsh Elections , published in April 2000.

Mr Jim Wallace: No action is planned as a result of the report. With the exception of local government elections in Scotland, elections are a reserved issue under the Scotland Act. The Renewing Local Democracy working group, which the Executive appointed last summer, is looking at a range of issues relating to local government democracy including the electoral system. We look forward to receiving the group’s report and considering its recommendations.

Employment

Dr Winnie Ewing (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government regarding what assistance the Department of Trade and Industry can provide in offsetting job losses in East Sutherland following the recent announcement that the Hunters of Brora woollen mill is to go into receivership.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: The Scottish Executive has made no representations to Her Majesty’s Government concerning assistance which the Department of Trade and Industry could provide in offsetting job losses in East Sutherland, because the measures being taken in response to actual and potential redundancies following Hunters of Brora being placed in receivership are for Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise, the Highland Council, the Employment Service, the Benefits Agency and other local advisory services.

Employment

Dr Winnie Ewing (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific assistance it is making available to ensure that a new operator is found for the Hunters of Brora woollen mill following the recent announcement that the mill is to go into receivership.

Dr Winnie Ewing (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific steps it has taken and is taking to enhance job prospects in east Sutherland following the recent announcement that the Hunters of Brora woollen mill is to go into receivership.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise have been working closely with the receiver to ensure that the business is maintained as a going concern, and to explore the expressions of interest which have been made by potential buyers of the company. The HIE network has held discussions with potential purchasers about the assistance which could be provided to re-establish a manufacturing operation in Brora. This could take the form of financial or other assistance towards the cost of further capital investment in the mill, or assistance towards the cost of staff training.

Employment

Dr Winnie Ewing (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with, or representations it has received from, community and trade union representatives from Brora following the recent announcement that the Hunters of Brora woollen mill is to go into receivership.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: A local Hunters Response Team has been established and has been meeting weekly. The team comprises representatives of the Community Council, the General Municipal Boilermakers Allied Trades Union (GMB), the Highland Council, the Village Advisory Service, the Benefits Agency, the Employment Service and staff from Caithness & Sutherland Enterprise. A support centre has also been established in Brora by the Highland Council and Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise, to provide information on employment and training opportunities and assistance with job applications.

Enterprise

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to safeguard and secure local jobs and business interests that have previously received European funding after the withdrawal of Assisted Area Status from Arbroath.

Henry McLeish: The Assisted Areas map is a reserved matter. I understand that agreement has not yet been reached between the UK Government and the European Commission on a revised Assisted Areas map.

  However, Scottish Enterprise and the relevant local enterprise company, Scottish Enterprise Tayside, are funded to implement all aspects of their agreed strategy and to deal with economic pressures that may arise from time to time.

Enterprise

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-6584 by Henry McLeish on 18 May 2000, whether any sites in Clydebank have been considered suitable for consideration as possible locations for new investment during the last five years.

Henry McLeish: Suitable sites in Clydebank, designated in consultation with Scottish Enterprise Dunbartonshire, are included in Locate in Scotland’s portfolio of sites suitable for inward investment. These are discussed with companies in appropriate circumstances, though particular discussions with individual potential investors are commercially confidential.

Environment

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and other relevant organisations regarding any effect on air quality around the industrial plants at Mossmorran as a result of the increase in the practice of "flaring" and whether there are any resulting health implications.

Sarah Boyack: Monitoring of air quality in the context of industrial emissions is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, local authorities and the relevant industries; surveillance of the health of people in their areas is a matter in the first instance for health boards. Smoke emissions from flarestacks should be reduced to the least possible level consistent with the safe operation of the plant in order to minimise both their visual impact and any effect that they may have on ambient air quality.

  In this context, although there was a higher level of "flaring" around Mossmorran from June to August 1999, the overall level for the year has not increased due to the lower level of "flaring" in the last six months.

European Funding

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive from which dates it expects funding from the new Objective 2 round and the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance to be available.

Mr Jack McConnell: The European Commission officially received the Objective 2 Plans and the FIFG Plan on 28 April and has five months and six months respectively to provide funding Decisions.

  Individual project approvals are not expected to be made until the end of this year.

European Funding

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will begin the consultation process on the "Leader Plus" European funding programme.

Mr Jack McConnell: I am currently considering options on format and content. I expect to begin the consultation process later this month, to seek views on possible themes and coverage for the Scottish programme.

European Funding

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what differences there are in the eligibility criteria for European Regional Development Funding for capital projects between areas designated for transitional funding and areas with full Objective 2 status.

Mr Jack McConnell: There will be no difference in the eligibility criteria between the transitional areas and those designated with full Objective 2 status.

Financial Services Authority

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the Financial Services Authority having an office in Scotland.

Henry McLeish: The Financial Services Authority has an office in Scotland, at 108-114 Dundas Street, Edinburgh.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to promote the case for any UK fisheries institute to be located in Scotland.

Mr John Home Robertson: There are no current plans for a UK Fisheries Institute. If such an Institute were to be established I believe that a strong case exists for locating the Institute in Scotland. I have written to the Minister for Fisheries and Countryside at MAFF, Elliot Morley, expressing this view. The Deputy First Minister, Mr Wallace has also written to Mr Morley expressing similar views.

Fisheries

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement on the 10% capacity reduction proposed for the UK in adjustments to the Multi Annual Guidance Programme and what implications any such reductions will have on Scotland’s fishing industry.

Mr John Home Robertson: The Commission’s proposals would require further substantial cuts in the UK fishing fleet, including notably the Scottish pelagic fleet, by end 2002.

  We support the conservation aims of the Multi-Annual Guidance Programmes but we do not believe it is reasonable for changes in MAGPIV to be proposed, without consultation, at this stage in the programme. We do not believe that the suggestions of further capacity reductions are justified or even practical. We will make these points to the Commission in the strongest possible terms.

Football

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the Scottish Football Association requesting that it considers what action can be taken, in co-operation with the owners of the Roman Camp Hotel, to ensure that the significance of Callander as the birthplace of association football is celebrated.

Rhona Brankin: No. I understand that the SFA Museum Trust is already aware of the alleged discovery at Callander.

Health

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list those health boards which (a) have an osteoporosis strategy in place, (b) include osteoporosis in their improvement programmes and (c) are implementing the Royal College of Physician’s guidelines on osteoporosis.

Susan Deacon: The information requested is not available centrally.

  As part of the Health Improvement Programme process, health boards, working with NHS Trusts and other partners, have to plan and deliver services which meet the needs of their local population, taking account of national and local priorities and the clinical and cost-effectiveness of different forms of care and treatment. Health Improvement Programmes are currently being finalised and are available on individual health boards’ websites.

Health

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to produce a national osteoporosis strategy for Scotland.

Susan Deacon: There are no current plans to develop a national strategy for osteoporosis. It is for local health boards to determine the services which are required to meet the needs of their local population within available resources. Guidance to help health boards devise their strategies was issued by the Health Department in 1997 in the form of a Scottish Needs Assessment Programme (SNAP) report on osteoporosis. This gave the conclusions of a group of experts drawn from within the NHS on the current situation in Scotland, a review of recent research, and options for the prevention, detection and management of osteoporosis.

Health

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reduce the incidence of osteoporosis in Scotland.

Susan Deacon: The only measures known to prevent the development of osteoporosis are weight-bearing exercise, the reduction of alcohol consumption to moderate levels, the reduction of tobacco consumption and a balanced diet with a higher consumption of calcium and vitamin D and lowered consumption of sodium, protein and caffeine. These are measures which are actively promoted by the Executive, because they reduce the risks of developing many other conditions as well as osteoporosis.

Health

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will widen the remit of the administration of medicines working group to include consideration of the support available in schools for any pupils with health problems.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The School Health Service already provides support in schools for pupils with health care needs including the promotion of the physical, mental and social wellbeing of children within the school setting; the identification and provision of remedial action and support for children with health problems, and the assessment and provision of services for pupils with special educational needs.

Health

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the staffing levels are for each neonatal intensive care unit.

Susan Deacon: The NHS in Scotland does not collect the information requested. It is for each NHS Trust to determine the number and type of staff required to deliver an appropriate level of service to meet local patient needs and to organise staff resources accordingly.

Health

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether every Scottish school receives a visit from a school nurse and, if so, how often this happens.

Susan Deacon: The School Health Service is responsible for providing support for pupils with health care needs including the promotion of the physical, mental and social wellbeing of children within the school setting.

  Every school has a named school nurse and the numbers of nurses have risen in Scotland to a current figure of just under 500 whole-time equivalents. The frequency of the contacts which she, or he, will have with any one school will vary.

  School Nurses plan, provide and evaluate specialist nursing care to meet the health needs of the school population and their families and carers. They undertake diagnostic, health screening and health promotion activities as appropriate and offer advisory services to families acting as an advocate for the use of the available services.

Highlands and Islands Airports

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what implications Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd’s (HIAL) purchase of Ministry of Defence property at Stornoway Airport has for HIAL’s capital expenditure plans for the coming year.

Sarah Boyack: The purchase of Stornoway Airport by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) from the Ministry of Defence was in line with established guidelines for transfers of property within the Government’s estate. The transfer cost was met out of HIAL’s resources in 1999-2000 and has no implications for capital expenditure requirements in 2000-01.

Historic Buildings

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the ministerial recommendations made to Historic Scotland regarding the listing of historic buildings.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The principles behind the statutory listing of historic buildings are set out at paragraph 1.8 of Historic Scotland’s Memorandum of Guidance on Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas (1998), a copy of which is placed in SPICe.

Hospitals

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many beds there will be in the new Netherton Hospital, Lanarkshire and how many of these will be acute beds.

Susan Deacon: The new District General Hospital at Netherton, Wishaw (Wishaw General), will have 633 inpatients beds: comprising 454 acute, 110 obstetric/neonatology and 69 acute psychiatry and long stay psychogeriatric.

  The hospital will also have 56 day beds and 45 day hospital places.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in addition to The Key, how much it and Glasgow City Council will spend in promoting the Glasgow housing stock transfer.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Executive has allocated £2.856 million of New Housing Partnership funding to Glasgow City Council in connection with the development of its stock transfer proposal, £1.01 million of this is for consultation with tenants. The council has submitted a further bid for NHP funding which is being assessed by the New Housing Partnership Steering Group.

Housing

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of conveyancing and other legal fees will be for Glasgow’s 85,000 council houses in the light of the statement in the Ernst & Young report’s statement that "external solicitors should be contracted" and what plans have been made to cope with expected workload in view of the report’s statement that the Glasgow housing stock transfer will be "the largest ever conveyancing transaction in the UK and, as such, will require careful planning if the volume of work is not to delay the whole transaction process".

Ms Wendy Alexander: The costs of conveying and other legal fees are not known at this stage. The Interim Management Committee of the Glasgow Housing Association intends to appoint solicitors who will work with the council to ensure that the conveyancing process is carried through efficiently and effectively.

Housing

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail for the years 1999-2000 and 2000-01 the estimated outturn and planned expenditure for (a) Scottish Homes approved development programme, (b) Scottish Homes own stock capital works, (c) housing revenue account capital investment, (d) empty homes initiative, (e) new housing partnership capital works, (f) new housing partnership debt breakage and servicing and (g) new housing partnership revenue costs.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The information requested is set out below:

  

 
 

1999-2000
Estimated Outturn


2000-01
Planned Expenditure



 
 

£ million


£ million




(a)


Scottish Homes approved development 
programme


209.9


215.2




(b)


Scottish Homes own stock capital 
works1


6.5


3.3




(c)


Housing revenue account capital 
investment2


341.9


328.1




(d)


Empty Homes Initiative


3.4


5.4




(e)


New Housing Partnership capital 
works


27.1


78.0




(f)


New Housing Partnership debt 



0.0


21.0




(g)


New Housing Partnership revenue 
costs


2.6


15.5




  Notes:

  1. Over the period in question Scottish Homes own stock numbers will fall from around 11,600 (31/3/2000) to 5,000 homes (31/3/2001).

  2. Includes HRA borrowing consent and estimates of the likely level of usable capital receipts and capital funded from revenue surpluses.

Housing

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it estimates its policy of prioritising the provision of additional houses for rent in rural areas will have on expenditure on new build and modernisation programmes in urban areas, in particular within the Glasgow and North Clyde area, over the next three years.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Scottish Homes total planned capital expenditure within its development programme for 2000-01 is £7 million higher than the equivalent figure for 1999-2000. This has allowed capital expenditure in the current year to be increased in both rural and urban areas. The same holds true for capital expenditure in Glasgow and North Clyde Region. The precise capital   expenditure   figures are as set out in the following table:

  

 
 

1999-2000
£ million


2000-01
£ million


% change




Scotland


Urban


158.4


161.2


+1.7



 

Rural


40.8


45.1


+10.5



 

Total


199.3


206.3


+3.6




Glasgow and North Clyde Region


Urban


68.0


70.9


+4.3



 

Rural 


5.0


5.6


+12.0



 

Total


73.0


76.5


+4.8




  Decisions on investment priorities and the details of Scottish Homes’ development programme for 2001-02 and 2002-03 will be announced in due course.

Housing

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3461 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 24 January 2000, (a) whether the consultations in question have been completed, (b) whether it intends to make public the responses made by consultees and (c) what measures it will take in response.

Ms Wendy Alexander: As indicated in my previous response, consultations to date have been informal. These have been continuing with a view to holding a seminar for all relevant parties.

Housing

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3635 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 24 January 2000, to identify all additional capital consents, including housing revenue account capital consents, issued to local authorities in the final quarter of financial year 1999-2000.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Additional capital consents were issued to local authorities in the final quarter of financial year 1999-2000 as follows:

  


General Services 
Account




East Renfrewshire


£100,000




Renfrewshire


£500,000




West Dunbartonshire


£100,000




  


Housing Revenue 
Account




Eilean Siar


£100,000




Glasgow City


£600,000




Inverclyde


£300,000




North Ayrshire


£500,000




Scottish Borders


£160,000




West Dunbartonshire


£110,000

Legislation

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce subordinate legislation to exempt low income groups such as those on income support from court fees when lodging a small claim and, if so, when it plans to do so.

Mr Jim Wallace: In line with the practice of previous administrations, I propose to issue a public consultation document on fees in the Supreme and Sheriff Courts. Amongst other matters, I will seek views on the case for exemptions from fees for individuals on state benefits. Following the consultation, I would expect to bring proposals before the Parliament for approval later in the year.

Legislation

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is for the implementation of the proposals to regulate the private security industry.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations it intends to carry out following the announcement of proposed new private security regulations.

Mr Jim Wallace: It is the Scottish Executive’s intention to issue a consultation document shortly outlining proposals for tighter regulation of the private security industry in Scotland. No timetable has been set for implementation. This will be determined following the consultation process.

Local Government

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an update on its plans for ensuring Best Value in Scottish local government.

Mr Frank McAveety: Wendy Alexander will be making a statement on the Executive’s plans for Best Value on 8 June.

Local Government

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage local authorities to motivate and manage staff and manage the process of change in local government.

Mr Frank McAveety: It is the responsibility of each of the local authorities, as employers, to ensure that they motivate and manage staff and manage the process of change in the best way possible. The Leadership Advisory Panel, which the Executive appointed to oversee the modernisation of council structures, is working with councils to help them prepare effectively for the effects of changes on staff.

Local Government

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to enable local government to have a greater community leadership role and show increased openness and accountability to the public.

Mr Frank McAveety: The Scottish Executive is keen to enhance the community leadership role of councils through the continuing development of community planning. Our commitment to the community planning process will be further demonstrated by the establishment of our Community Planning Task Force and by the wider package of post-McIntosh measures which we are progressing.

  Openness, transparency and accountability are among the key criteria on which the Leadership Advisory Panel are assessing councils self-reviews of their policy development and decision-making processes. The panel and individual councils, working together, will ensure more open and accountable processes are developed across the country.

Local Government

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that local authorities implement organisational learning in order to gain knowledge, develop skills and transfer these into effective strategies and decisions.

Mr Frank McAveety: We have agreed that CoSLA will take the lead in promoting organisational learning as part of the development of Best Value.

Local Government

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that local authorities exchange ideas, good practice and training across local authority boundaries.

Mr Frank McAveety: We have agreed that CoSLA will take the lead in promoting exchange of ideas and best practice as part of Best Value. Wendy Alexander recently announced the provision of £100,000 to CoSLA for the development of a website to allow the exchange of ideas, good practice and training across all Scottish councils.

Local Government

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to create a knowledge environment in local government, integrating people processes and technology.

Mr Jack McConnell: I and Scottish ministerial colleagues had a constructive meeting with local authority leaders and chief executives on 26 May at which we discussed a shared vision for using information and communications technology to deliver more convenient and efficient public services in Scotland. It is for authorities themselves to decide how to make progress, but I am sure that councils understand that integrating people, processes and technology can make a major contribution to internal efficiency and to better services to the public.

Local Government

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement on the implementation of the McIntosh Report recommendation that councils should be provided with a statutory power of general competence.

Ms Wendy Alexander: We sought further comment on this recommendation as part of our post-McIntosh consultation exercise and have considered the responses carefully. There was almost unanimous support for the granting of such a power from local authorities, CoSLA and the Local Government Committee of the Scottish Parliament. Having listened to the arguments put forward by these bodies we are convinced that such a power - which might be better described as a power of community initiative - will stimulate new ideas and innovation in local government and will encourage joint working between local authorities and other bodies. It will help to provide a platform from which to develop a community leadership role for modern Scottish local government.

  I am therefore pleased to confirm that the Executive will introduce a power of community initiative for Scottish local government in a future Local Government Bill in line with the McIntosh Report’s recommendation. Our detailed proposals will be issued for consultation in due course. The consultation will consider the exact scope of the power. It is not intended that it should cut across the duties or powers of other statutory bodies.

Marine Safety

Dr Winnie Ewing (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government to ensure that all possible safety measures are in place in the Minches in view of the large number of tankers and other shipping which passes through the area each year and whether it will detail what these measures are and whether any new measures are planned.

Sarah Boyack: Maritime safety and shipping matters are reserved, falling within the responsibility of the Department of the Environment Transport and the Regions and Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The Executive is in regular contact with DETR and the MCA on a range of matters of common interest.

Meat

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been collected in levies in Scotland by the Meat and Livestock Commission in each of the last five years; what percentage was re-allocated to Scottish based organisations and projects, and what impact the advent of Quality of Meat Scotland will have on this arrangement.

Ross Finnie: Levies collected and the percentages allocated directly to Scotland in each of the last five years are given in the table below. The balance of income is channelled to MLC core activities, which include technical and development support at the headquarters in Milton Keynes and technical support through the Brussels Office from which Scottish producers benefit.

  The advent of QMS will ensure the continuation of existing funding arrangements to SQBLA and SPII, with money currently used to support the MLC’s Scottish Office being added to the total. Additionally there is scope for extra cash to be injected into QMS, including resources from the MLC’s main budget. Unlike its predecessors, QMS will also have a direct influence on Commission decisions affecting all levy monies raised in Scotland.

  


Year


Income
£ million


% Directly Allocated 
to Scotland





1999-2000


4.9


37




1998-99


5.1


31




1997-98


5.1


27




1996-97


5.4


26




1995-96


5.3


23

Meat

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give details of the criteria used for the appointment of the board of Quality Meat Scotland.

Ross Finnie: The appointment of board members and the criteria used to select them is entirely a matter for the organisations represented on QMS. However, I have always believed that if QMS was to succeed it would need to appoint people of the highest calibre and, in my opinion, the appointment of Neil Kilpatrick as Chairman and other members of the board meets that requirement.

Mike Tyson

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been consulted over the possible use of the National Stadium for a boxing match featuring Mike Tyson and what response it has given.

Mr Sam Galbraith: I made the SFA, as managers of Hampden Stadium, aware of the concerns of Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Parliament about the staging of the match at Hampden.

Ministers

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any Scottish Minister could allow his or her name to be associated with any particular company or businesses by authorising the use of his or her photograph on its products.

Mr Jim Wallace: Scottish Ministers are expected to behave in accordance with the provisions of the Scottish Ministerial Code. One of the provisions is that they are expected to order their affairs so that no conflict arises or is thought to arise between their private interests (financial or otherwise) and their public duties.

Planning

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of all applications for economic and industrial development planning and grants in the east end of Glasgow which have been refused over the last three years.

Sarah Boyack: In the last three years the Scottish Executive dealt with four planning applications in the east end of Glasgow, none of which were refused. I cannot answer for those applications considered by Glasgow City Council.

  In the same period, three companies had applications for Regional Selective Assistance turned down. The case details are commercially confidential.

Planning

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to support the viability of suburban shopping centres such as Shettleston Road and Dumbarton Road in Glasgow.

Sarah Boyack: National Planning Policy Guideline 8 on Town Centres and Retailing requires statutory development plans to provide a policy framework to support and enhance the vitality and viability of city, town and district centres.

  Proposals such as improvements in the local transportation system will be for Strathclyde Passenger Transport to address in conjunction with Glasgow City Council.

Prison Service

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been a moratorium on recruitment for the Scottish Prison Service and, if so, for how long it will operate and until what date.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Prison Service ceased recruitment of prison officers in October 1999, and have decided that they will not resume until surplus staff remaining from recent closures have been fully absorbed, and any other opportunities for improved efficiency taken.

Prison Service

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Prison Service staff ending their service before they have used their quota of Time Off In Lieu (TOIL) are compensated financially for these hours and, if not, what savings are made from unclaimed TOIL.

Mr Jim Wallace: It is normal practice for staff leaving the Scottish Prison Service with outstanding TOIL to be reimbursed for these hours.

Prison Service

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what are (a) the establishment of prison officers at each of the Scottish prisons, (b) the numbers of prison officers at each of the Scottish prisons for the last five years and (c) the staff shortage nationally, expressed as a percentage of the establishment for the last five years.

Mr Jim Wallace: The attached table shows, for prison officers, the establishment and staff in post (SIP) on 1 April, insofar as past data are available. In no year has there been a shortage.

  Number of Prison Officers at each Establishment within the Scottish Prison Service for 1996-1997

  





1996


1997







April SIP


Complement


April SIP


Complement




HMP Aberdeen


124


 


126


 




HMP Barlinnie


440


 


473


 




HMP Castle Huntly 


57


 


58


 




HMPI Cornton Vale 


169


 


180


 




HMPYOI Dumfries


134


 


129


 




HMP Dungavel


55


 


57


 




HMP Edinburgh


370


 


370


 




HMP Friarton


43


 


46


 




HMP & YOI Glenochil


374


 


377


 




HMP Greenock 


135


 


135


 




HMP Inverness


89


 


82


 




HMRI Longriggend 


147


 


145







HMP Low Moss


138


 


130


 




HMP Noranside


58


 


58


 




HMP Penninghame 


28


 


28


 




HMP Perth


342


 


324


 




HMP Peterhead


198


 


195


 




HM Unit Peterhead


19


 


19


 




HMYOI Polmont


264


 


271


 




HMP Shotts


321


 


320


 




HMNIC Shotts


39


 


35


 




HM Unit Shotts


25


 


25


 




SPS College


35


 


36


 




HMP Zeist


 


 


 


 




Total


3,604


3,547


3,619


3,452




  Number of Prison Officers at each Establishment within the Scottish Prison Service for 1998-2000

  


 


1998


1999


2000




 


April SIP


Complement


April SIP


Complement


April SIP


Complement




HMP Aberdeen


132


134


136


130


131


130




HMP Barlinnie


495


498


512


496


482


496




HMP Castle Huntly 


57


54


53


54


63


54




HMPI Cornton Vale 


168


193


196.5


195


189


196




HMPYOI Dumfries


138


126


128


127


127


127




HMP Dungavel


65


66


67


67


56


62




HMP Edinburgh


405


399


399


398


387


403




HMP Friarton


43


41


39


41





*1




HMP & YOI Glenochil


382


386


384


385


380


384




HMP Greenock 


139


141


142


146


143


145




HMP Inverness


91


83


86


82


84


77




HMRI Longriggend 


139


146


138


141


112


*2




HMP Low Moss


134


128


131


128


120


129




HMP Noranside


56


52


52


52


51


51




HMP Penninghame 


31


26


27


26


 


*3




HMP Perth


333


311


308


313


338


349




HMP Peterhead


207


204


203


203


206


206




HM Unit Peterhead


19


19


14


19





*4




HMYOI Polmont


280


279


279


274


263


279




HMP Shotts


325


318


324


318


354


355




HMNIC Shotts


39


34


35


35





*5




HM Unit Shotts


23


20


20


20





*5




SPS College


30


25


30


25


25


25




HMP Zeist














46


40




Total


3,731


3,683


3,703.5


3,675


3,557


3,508




  N.B. The figures above include Residential/Operations/Regimes Officers & Operational First Line Managers

  Notes:

  1. HMP Friarton now merged with HMP Perth and figures are included in Perth’s.

  2. HMPI Longriggend has been closed.

  3. HMP Penninghame has been closed.

  4. HMNIC Shotts and HM Unit Shotts are now both merged with HMP Shotts and figures are included in HMP Shotts.

Prison Service

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many officers in the Scottish Prison Service are on salary levels such that they are eligible for Family Credit.

Mr Jim Wallace: Eligibility for Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC), which is a matter for the Inland Revenue, does not depend solely on income. SPS have been notified of 26 members of staff to receive WFTC, of whom 17 are prison officers.

Prison Service

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of officers leave the Scottish Prison Service annually due to (a) retirements through age, (b) ill health and (c) other reasons.

Mr Jim Wallace: Based on the average number of staff employed during the year, the percentages of officers who left SPS in the financial year 1999-2000 are:

  


Retirement through age


1.2%




Ill health


0.5%




Other reasons


8.6%

Prison Service

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the sentenced prison population are known to suffer from alcoholism, drug addiction, mental illness or a combination thereof.

Mr Jim Wallace: In a recent study (Gilchrist and Hooke, 1997) conducted in Greenock prison 29% of prisoners reported that they were drinking over the safe limit for men as advised by the Inter-Departmental Working Group. In Cornton Vale Prison (Loucks, 1997) an estimated 10-15 % of women were found to be addicted to alcohol.

  Around three quarters of prisoners are estimated by the SPS to have been on illicit drugs just before entering prison. Various elements the SPS drugs strategy together succeeded in reducing this so that interim results for 1999-2000 show that only 15% tested positive for drug misuse within the prison setting.

  The extent and degree of mental illness or psychological disturbance is not known with any precision. Studies have ranged from 3% to 82% of the prison population.

Road Safety

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any assessment is being carried out as to the effect on traffic accidents of the introduction of the Greenways Routes system in Edinburgh.

Sarah Boyack: The monitoring of accidents on these routes is the responsibility of the local authority. However, accident information has been collected as part of the report A comparative evaluation of Greenways and Conventional Bus Lanes , which was published on 19 May.

  In general, and taking no account of relative traffic volumes, the Greenway appears safer than the conventional bus corridor, particularly in respect of pedestrians, cyclists and bus accidents.

Roads

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its proposals for trunk road management and maintenance comply with European procurement legislation.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is fully complying with European Community legislative procedures for public procurement.

Roads

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to provide details of the increase in commercial traffic on the A90 from Aberdeen to Fraserburgh on an annual basis from 1974 and of expenditure on the A90 on an annual basis from 1974 to date.

Sarah Boyack: The information available is shown below. The first table shows the average daily flow of Heavy Goods Vehicles over a seven-day week in September of each year.

  


Location1


1992


1993


1994


1995


1996


1997


1998


1999




Bridge of Don


n/a2


1,102


n/a


1,445


1,415


1,477


1,509


1,448




Cruden Bay


615


684


727


669


n/a


778


940


773




Inverugie


400


319


321


324


358


390


422


353




  Notes:

  1. Automated traffic counters have been located here since 1992 or 1993.

  2. n/a – figure not available.

  Consistent expenditure information is only available for the last three completed financial years and is shown in the table.

  


1996-97


1997-98


1998-99




£1.957 million


£2.015 million


£2.577 million




  Notes: Figures include major improvement scheme preparation, capital expenditure on bridge maintenance, accident investigation and prevention and minor improvements and revenue expenditure on routine cyclical and winter maintenance.

  In addition, since 1974 major improvement schemes at Fountainbleau, Auchenten, Hatton, Murcar-Balmedie and Ellon and numerous minor improvement schemes have been implemented.

Roads

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in considering bids for the maintenance of trunk roads, due consideration will be given to the impact on local authorities, given that all purpose trunk roads are an integral part of the surrounding local authority maintained road network particularly in rural areas.

Sarah Boyack: The bids for the future maintenance of the trunk road network will be considered in light of the acceptability proposals and on the basis of price.

Roads

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the potential impact on Hawick as a location for inward investment has been considered fully in the evaluation of the proposed Selkirk bypass in the context of the A7 Route Action Plan.

Sarah Boyack: The potential impact on Hawick as a location for inward investment is not being addressed by the A6091/A7 Galashiels to Hawick Route Action Plan study. The purpose of this study is to examine the potential for improvement of the road by a programme of local improvement schemes to reduce accidents while improving the environment of the route.

  This issue would best be addressed in a specific report exploring all the economical issues surrounding a Selkirk bypass. However, as the preliminary assessment of a Selkirk bypass option indicates that any benefits accrued are outweighed by the high construction costs, there are currently no plans to carry out a more detailed study of the bypass option.

Roads

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review current policy on the erection of brown signs on trunk roads and motorways.

Sarah Boyack: There are no plans at present to review this policy.

Roads

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the decision on the call-in of the proposals for the A701 has prevented the consideration by reporters at any local plan inquiry of subsequent objections to the local plan.

Sarah Boyack: No.

Roads

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the process is for seeking permission for and approval of tourist signs on (a) motorways, (b) trunk roads and (c) all other roads.

Sarah Boyack: Following the Scottish Tourist Board’s approval of an individual facility as a tourist attraction, the applicant should make a request for tourist signing to the Scottish Executive Road Network Management and Maintenance Division or their Agents. Signing on trunk roads and motorways is assessed in accordance with the Trunk Road and Motorway Tourist Signposting Policy (TRMTSP). Signing on all other roads is a matter for the appropriate local authorities.

  The procedure for applicants applying for signing is contained in the TRMTSP, a copy of which is in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Rural Affairs

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role it expects the Scottish Agricultural and Biological Research Institutes and the Scottish Agricultural College to play in developing ways to add value to primary products in the agriculture, fishing and forestry industries.

Ross Finnie: The five Scottish Agricultural and Biological Research Institutes and the Scottish Agricultural College have strengths across a range of scientific disciplines. They make a major contribution to SERAD’s Agricultural, Biological and Related Research Programme which aims to provide underpinning strategic research in support of agriculture and related industries. The general skills developed by scientists employed by these organisations give insights into processes and generate innovative and advisory knowledge and expertise which is sought and utilised by industry. The department’s Strategy for Agricultural, Biological and Related Research 1999-2003 states that the research programme will be developed to increase its relevance to identified end-uses including sustainable agriculture, food and bio-industries, and rural communities and development.

Rural Affairs

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been allocated to the pilot project in Dumfries and Galloway to develop local markets for local agricultural produce and how this funding will be distributed.

Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer I gave to question S1W-6139 on 11 May.

Schools

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-6426 by Peter Peacock on 10 May 2000, when the roll of St Vigeons Primary School will be assessed against the 80% requirement and whether any current actions by Angus Education Authority to discourage parents from sending their children to the school would be taken into account in any such assessment.

Peter Peacock: Legislation does not specify a date at which the school roll should be assessed. Authorities generally use the roll returned in annual school census preceding a closure proposal.

Skye Bridge

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it accepts as unsigned, undated and unpublished, the Assignation Statement in respect of the Skye Bridge.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive accepts the validity of the relevant Assignation Statement.

  The relevant statutory framework is set out in Part IIA of Schedule 1 to the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 and the Assignation Statement (Prescribed Information) (Scotland) Regulations 1991. All statutory requirements were satisfied.

  The validity of the Assignation Statement relating to the Skye Bridge has been considered by the Appeal Court of the High Court of the Justiciary. It was submitted that the Assignation Statement was not valid because it was unsigned, undated and should have been issued when the Skye Bridge Crossing Toll Order was made on 23 June 1992. It was also submitted that the Assignation Statement and a copy of that Toll Order should then have been made available for inspection. That court, in its decision dated 16 December 1999, rejected these submissions.

Strategic Rail Authority

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3458 by Sarah Boyack on 7 February 2000, whether it has now made a nomination to the Board of the Strategic Rail Authority, and when it expects to hear whether the nomination has been accepted.

Sarah Boyack: I refer Mr Tosh to the answer I gave to question S1W-3752.

Teachers

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the age profile of teachers in Scotland is by (a) gender and (b) employment in primary or secondary education.

Peter Peacock: The most recent information on the age profile of teachers in Scotland by (a) gender and (b) employment in primary and secondary education is for 1998 and is available from SPICe.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to provide details of all payments made from the Public Transport Fund in relation to the pedestrian and cyclist crossing at the City of Edinburgh bypass at Sheriffhall, including the bodies to whom such payments were made; whether, in the light of the Scottish Borders Railway Feasibility Study, this crossing could be linked with a similar rail crossing and whether it has any plans to make funds available for a rail crossing or to support a study into such a crossing.

Sarah Boyack: Midlothian Council were awarded £802,000 additional capital consent from the second round of the Scottish Executive’s Public Transport Fund towards the cost of a bridge to take cyclists and pedestrians across the Edinburgh City Bypass at Sheriffhall. The allocation of this additional capital consent, of which £600,000 has been issued to the council, relates to financial year 2000-01.

  The original solum of the Waverley Line, proposed by consultants as the most appropriate location for its reinstatement to link with the existing track at Millerhill, meets the City Bypass approximately 500 metres from the preferred location for the pedestrian crossing. Each project presents very different technical challenges. It will be open to the relevant councils to consider whether project development requirements for the reinstatement of the Borders Railway meet the criteria set out in the Public Transport Fund.

Waste Management

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it intends to take to reduce the loss of estuarine inter-tidal habitats and how many firths are currently potentially threatened by waste management proposals.

Sarah Boyack: In Estuarial Areas, there are currently two candidate special Areas of Conservation proposed as well as 11 classified and two proposed Special Protection Areas. It is also our policy that proposed sites should be protected as if already designated.

  Any application for a landfill site is a matter for the planning authority in the first instance. It may require an Environmental Impact Assessment to be carried out subject to pre-determined criteria laid out in the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations (Scotland) 1999.

  SEPA have reported that 96.3% of estuarial water achieve excellent or good quality status. Since 1996 there has been an improvement of 15% for estuarial waters which no longer fall into the poor or seriously polluted category.

Waste Management

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the light of its intention to discourage water pollution, it will order a review of West of Scotland Water’s plan to discharge diluted untreated liquid sewage into the Kilbarchen burn, Renfrewshire.

Sarah Boyack: I understand that West of Scotland Water proposes to build a storm overflow at Kilbarchan to alleviate a long-standing problem of flooding after heavy rain. The proposed scheme has been examined by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) which is confident that it will result in an improvement in the quality of the Kilbarchan Burn. SEPA has granted a consent for the discharge subject to a condition requiring the sewage to be screened to prevent raw sewage solids entering the stream. The Scottish Executive therefore does not intend to order a review of this proposal.

Waste Management

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to disallow dumping of toxic waste at Paterson’s Landfill site in Mount Vernon, Glasgow.

Sarah Boyack: The type and quantity of waste which may be accepted for disposal at landfill sites is authorised by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) by means of conditions included in the waste management licence for the site. In considering applications for a licence SEPA has a duty to ensure it is satisfied that pollution of the environment or harm to human health will not result from operations at the site.

Water Charges

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the statement by the Minister for Transport and the Environment on 8 March that water charges in Scotland are "still lower than those of the comparable water authorities" in England and Wales, whether it will publish the comparable figures for the Scottish Water Authorities and the private companies in England and Wales, and detail how the comparisons have been calculated.

Sarah Boyack: The figures requested are detailed in the table below. This shows that, in both the East of Scotland Water Authority and West of Scotland Water Authority areas, average combined domestic bills for the year 2000-01 are lower than any in England and Wales. The North of Scotland Water Authority’s average bill is lower than those of companies with similar geographical and demographic characteristics (i.e. largely rural areas with long coastlines, sparsely populated), such as South West and Dwr Cymru.

  Water and sewerage service providers

  Average combined domestic water and sewerage bills, 2000-01 (rounded to nearest £)

  





£





£




Anglian


251


East of Scotland


184




Dwr Cymru


266


North of Scotland


237




North West


222


West of Scotland


169




Northumbrian


198










Severn Trent


198










South West


314










Southern


239










Thames 


187










Wessex


231










Yorkshire


209










English & Welsh Industry 
Average*


219


Scottish Industry Average


189




  Sources: English and Welsh data provided by Ofwat (reference – Ofwat press release, 2 March 2000).

  * Includes water bills by water only companies, ranging from £74 to £137. Water bills from the English and Welsh water and sewerage companies listed above range from £88 to £126.

  Data for each company/authority derived from projected revenue divided by number of billed households.

Water Supply

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the extent of the problem caused by the use of lead solder in water pipes in newly built houses, as regards the number of houses affected and the geographical areas affected.

Sarah Boyack: The Executive does not hold the information requested. However, the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health (SCIEH) has been asked to carry out a study to determine the extent to which lead solder has been used in plumbing installations in new housing across Scotland. SCIEH are due to report later this year.

Water Supply

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to undertake a study to establish the extent of lead contamination in the public water supply.

Sarah Boyack: There is no lead contamination in the public water supply. Lead contamination occurs as a result of the use of lead for internal plumbing or for service pipes which connect properties to the water main in the street. The water authorities own the short length of service pipe from the main to the property boundary but property owners are responsible for the remainder of the service pipe and for all internal plumbing. The Executive has asked the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health to carry out a survey to establish the extent to which lead has been used, in contravention of the water bylaws, in the plumbing systems of new houses.

Water Supply

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what is the percentage and number of households who rely on a public water-supply main of lead construction.

Sarah Boyack: There are no public water supply mains of lead construction. Historically, lead pipes were only used for internal plumbing or for service pipes connecting properties to the main in the street.

  The new Drinking Water Directive tightens the standard for lead in drinking water and requires that member states take all appropriate measures to reduce the concentration of lead in the water as a result of lead plumbing or service pipes. To achieve this goal the water authorities are about to carry out a lead sampling programme to help them identify properties that have lead plumbing and service pipes. The results of the sampling programme will enable the authorities to target areas that would benefit from measures to reduce the uptake of lead from pipework. Many areas already have such measures in place but it is likely that further areas will be identified. The results of the sampling programme will also provide a good estimate of the percentage and number of households with lead plumbing.

Water Supply

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the number of households whose internal plumbing is (a) of lead construction and (b) of a construction which uses leaded solder joints, and whether it intends to undertake work to establish how many households are affected by this problem.

Sarah Boyack: Drinking Water Quality in Scotland 1994 reviewed the extent of lead pipes in domestic plumbing. The estimate then was that there were 589,000 properties in Scotland with lead plumbing. The results of a lead sampling programme about to be undertaken by the water authorities should provide a more up-to-date estimate of the number of households with lead plumbing.

  It is not known how many properties have internal plumbing with lead soldered joints but such joints were the normal form of construction until lead solder was banned from water fittings in 1987. The Executive has asked the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health to carry out a survey of new houses to determine the extent to which lead soldered joints have been used in new homes.

Water Supply

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that consumers receive adequate information regarding lead in their water supply.

Sarah Boyack: The Water Supply (Water Quality) (Scotland) Regulations 1990 require water authorities to notify customers of lead failures associated with water samples taken from their premises and of the measures that could be taken to reduce the risk to health from lead.

  The new Drinking Water Directive tightens the standard for lead and it also requires the water authorities to notify both property owners and consumers of any lead failures. The water authorities are about to undertake a lead sampling programme to identify any problem areas within their water supply zones. Property owners and consumers will be advised of any failures detected during the sampling programme.

Water Supply

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what regulation and requirements it proposes to ensure that consumers are told of the possibility of high lead content in their water supply, and what powers will be made available to require that action is taken to remedy the situation.

Sarah Boyack: The Water Supply (Water Quality) (Scotland) Regulations 1990 require random samples to be taken from household dietetic taps within each water supply zone. Where lead is detected in a tap sample, in breach of the current regulatory requirement, the householder is notified and advised of the measures that they can take to reduce the risk to their health from lead.

  Despite the tighter lead standard in the new Drinking Water Directive, if non-compliance with the standard is due to domestic plumbing then a failure to meet the standard will not be considered to be a breach of the Directive. Consumers and property owners must be alerted to the risk but it is not practical to require them to replace their lead plumbing. This is not the case with public buildings such as schools, hospitals and restaurants. Public buildings must fully comply with the Directive. Any failure to meet the lead standard in a public building as a result of lead plumbing will require the plumbing system to be replaced.